In a Word
by Lily Maxwell The Dark Angel
Summary: Friends aren’t those that simply are always with you, but those that understand you and say that one thing you needed to hear.


**In a Word**

**By Lily Maxwell**

* * *

Yuugi Mutou walked home alone on that cloudy, gloomy day. His friend Honda had been absent from school, Anzu couldn't come with him for some reason he did not know – although he feared it was another part-time job she was trying to keep a secret –, and Jounouchi said he was sorry that he couldn't go with him because some friends had invited him to a karaoke and he said he was in the mood for some singing. Yuugi wasn't sure he could call what Jou did "singing".

As he looked up at the sky, Yuugi mused if he was upset about walking home alone. Surely it wasn't the first time it happened; before he became friends with Jou and Honda, the only friend he really had was Anzu, and she couldn't accompany him every day. And it's not like they gave him any excuses, or did it on purpose. So it was all okay… right?

Yuugi sighed, and greeted his grandfather when he entered the Game Shop. He forced a yawn as he walked up towards his room, dropped his bag on the floor and fell on his bed. He reached his deck, without even stopping to think about it, and started flipping through the cards. He wasn't thinking hard either as he looked at the covers of the monsters that for some time seemed to be his best friends. He just sort of did it, not really paying attention, as some daily routine thing.

It didn't take much for the memories to start clouding his thoughts. All the time he spent with his friends, the good times, the bad times. He chuckled inwardly at some of them; they were good memories. But now that they're back to the city, things aren't exciting anymore. It's not like it was something bad – no, Yuugi liked the ordinary too, why not? But just remembering all those times in the island gave him a feeling that left him hollow.

Anzu was still the same. She still held the bright smile, the sharp comments about the silly actions of Jounouchi and Honda, that dreamy look she sometimes had. She was still the same girl who had always been his friend, although sometimes she looked at him with an expression he could not describe. He wondered if that was related to the recent changes he noticed within himself…

Nothing changed about Honda either, only that he tried to include Bakura in their conversations. Yuugi didn't mind at all – Bakura was a nice guy to be around, they got along pretty well. And Jou…

Jou was popular, Yuugi came to realize. Popular in the sense that, even though he wasn't smart, or he wasn't particularly good at something, his goofy attitude attracted people to him. They always teased him, and he always made the class laugh. Yuugi smiled from his seat, and Jou would usually flash him a thumbs-up or a wink.

Yuugi had already stopped shuffling through his cards half-way during his thoughts. He sighed again, as he realized he was looking at the Dark Magician – his favorite card. Laying the deck on his chest, he closed his eyes. He tried hard not to think about the involuntary and annoying feelings that sometimes bothered him.

The little boy could never be like Jounouchi. He didn't have the spontaneous mind of his friend, and he didn't have the ability of getting along with people so well like the blond did. He admired him for that – and he also envied him for that. It wasn't a feeling Yuugi was proud of, at all. He started kicking his feet absent-mindedly, while trying to shove those thoughts and feelings away. Jou was Jou, he was himself. And even if he walked home alone, it didn't really mean anything…

_Yuugi?_

Yuugi stopped moving his feet and concentrated on the voice that came from within him. Since he already had his eyes closed, it didn't take long for him to appear at that one hallway, with those two doors. One so very distinct from the other.

And as distinct from himself came the other one, eyes sharper, posture firmer. But he didn't emanate a menacing aura – not to Yuugi.

"Something troubles you?" Came the baritone voice, and even as he blinked in question, he looked far more elegant than Yuugi ever would. The younger one sighed.

"It's nothing," Yuugi said, and entered the bright room of his soul, the other one close behind. "I'm just… being silly."

"You don't need to hold back to me," the other soul sat beside his on the bed. He smiled, and Yuugi found the simple gesture very comforting.

"It's just… Sometimes I feel like I'm distant from the others," he said, and was already feeling stupid.

"Distant? I feel that you are very close to your friends. They hold you dear, I assure you," the other replied, assuming a more serious, though still gentle, look.

"Yeah, I know, but… I'm so different from them," Yuugi said, and frowned when the other chuckled. "Hey, I'm being honest here!" He tried to scold, but figured he couldn't be mad at the other seriously.

"Yuugi, people are different. That still doesn't mean you can't be friends, or that you can't get along," the darker one replied. Yuugi sighed again.

"Yeah, but, Jou has so many friends," he looked at the floor and started kicking his feet again. "And I know he's a great friend of mine, but…" He didn't know how to finish the sentence. He knew the other was right, and he knew his thoughts were a mess.

"Yuugi," the other soul touched his, on the shoulder. "Jounouchi jumped into the sea for you," and Yuugi blushed in embarrassment, knowing he was right, "and I assure you he thinks of you as high as you think of him. You two are what you call best friends."

"But you're my best friend," Yuugi confessed, and the other smiled, but shook his head.

"I can't be with you outside, and my power to help you is limited. Friends aren't those that simply are always with you, but those that understand you and say that one thing you needed to hear. And you, Yuugi, have great friends."

Yuugi couldn't think of a reply. He simply let his mind drive off until he could no longer think about such matter – and so he fell asleep.

-

"Hey Jou! We're going to play soccer, want to come with us?"

Yuugi was at the near the door when he heard the call, and didn't stop to hear Jou's reply. He stretched his arms and was ready to go back alone and help his grandfather clean the shop. He was completely surprised, however, when upon crossing the front gates, Jou ran up to his side.

"Hey, Yug'!" He greeted with the usual grin. "What're we doing this afternoon?"

"Hey Jou…" Yuugi greeted back, blinking a bit. "I thought you were going with those guys to play soccer?"

"Nah. I don't feel like playing anything today. Unless you have something in mind!" And he patted him on the shoulder. Yuugi looked up at him without really knowing what to say. "What's wrong? Tired of me already? No can do, Yuugi! You can't get rid of me, you're the only one that can actually put up with me, you know?" And he ran in front of him. "Come on!"

Yuugi let out a surprised smile. Such spontaneous and honest answer that could only come from Jou. And so he was right, wasn't he? It didn't really matter how many friends one had, but how much each of them meant. And from the blond's statement, Yuugi no longer had any doubts.

As he ran to catch up with the blond, he could almost see the smile of the other in his mind, and hear the words _I told you so._

* * *

This was based on an actual event that happened to me, many years ago. At the time, I felt the intense urge to write this, but never came around to do it. Time passed, and the words that meant so much to me remained, but not the friendship. But even so, what really matters is that at that time, I felt that I really meant as much to the person as she meant to me. And that made me happy. And so, this fic is like a memorial of that time, a time that can't come back, but is still all that significant.

I hope you enjoyed.


End file.
